Commonwealth Games gold medallist flies flag high

Namibian boxer, Jafet Uutoni's gold medal in the just ended Commonwealth Games marks the only gold medallion brought back to the country this year. Uutoni received the medal after defeating Englishman Darran John Langley in the Light Flyweight 48 kg bout by 34:18 points in the final night of boxing on 25 March.

Jafet Uutoni, Namibia's gold medallist in the just ended Commonwealth Games that were held in Melbourne, Australia.

The Games were held in Australia, Melbourne and were officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Uutoni said this week that he left Langley devastated and broken down. Uutoni told the Economist this week that he is very proud to have represented the country at such a high level and managing to bring home gold. He said he competed knowing that he had a good chance of winning a medal as he is currently the reigning African Zone Six Light Flyweight champion. He also said he had trained hard and was prepared well. Uutoni said he went through a four-month training period with his coach. As part of his preparations for the games, he participated in the African Championships 2005 in Morocco, Casablanca and won gold in the light flyweight section.

During that competition, he injured his hand but managed to go through all his fights with one hand painful. His hand was operated on after the competition. Uutoni said that his dreams is to get to the same level as Ali Nuumbembe, the Namibian boxer now based in Britain, and hopes that his hand wont trouble him in the future. Uutoni started boxing in 2002 after joining the Jacob Mistake Gariseb stable. He is an unemployed youth and boxing is his only hope of salvation and the reason why he he hope to turn professional.

As an amateur boxer, this was his first time to feature in the Commonwealth Games.
This is what Uutoni had to say to other sportsmen and women: “Work hard, and keep your focus in what you are doing. When you are representing your country, it's an opportunity you cannot waste. And remember that you are not only representing yourself but a nation.”